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News And Views May 2016

Sun, 05/08/2016 - 19:02 — mhansen4

National Federation of the Blind of Arizona
News and Views
May, 2016

In This Issue
Navigation
Greetings from our President
Word on the Street
Guess Who Just Took Another Trip Around the Sun
Uber Will No Longer Discriminate Against Blind Riders Using Guide Dogs
Blind Parents Needed
What is Your Voting Experience?
Principles that the NFB Believes
NFB Jernigan Institute Jobs Announcement
Paid Google Research Available
May: The Mission, the Movement, the Milestone
Participating in the Online Dating Survey
A New Perspective on Literacy for Students with Low Vision
Health and Wellness Opportunities at SAAVI
How One Blind marathon Runner is Using Technology to Run Solo
The Bookshelf, 2 Selections
Keeping Your Home Safe During the Summer
Flick, Swipe, and Tap, Facebook Accessibility for Pictures
New Website for Veterans
More Items Donated to the NFB of Arizona Auction
Healthy Choice, Healthy Living, Gratitude
How Does a Blind Person Drive with Their Ears?
The Recipe Box, Chocolate Cake
Debbies List
Stay Connected
Grins and Groans, the Usual Endings

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Greetings from Our President

Hello, fellow Federationists,

May is such a great month for picnics, pool parties, high school and college graduations, family reunions, hiking and camping, and so much more before the heat arrives.

We will have our NFBA affiliate board meeting by telephone May 14 from 9:30 a.m. to noon. You are welcome to participate by telephone by calling, 605 475 6777,

Pin 06322, pound sign.

We will be discussing assistance to national and state convention, scholarships, preparations for our state convention in Tucson, and much more.

Arizona affiliate scholarship applications will be accepted until May 31. If you have already submitted an NFB National scholarship application, you can submit the same package. Any questions, contact scholarship chair Marcus Schmidt at,

We are offering two state scholarships this year, one of which is for students who also work full time and go to school full time or part time. Go to our website www.az.nfb.org for more details.

The state affiliate is offering financial assistance to our members who would participate in our national convention, except that they cannot quite meet the expenses. If you fall into this group, please contact Bob Kresmer to discuss your situation. We intend to have over one hundred NFBA members participate in Orlando this year! Please call or email soon.

I remind you that we have reinvigorated our Arizona Parents of Blind Children group, and if you know parents of Blind children, please refer them to new president Melanie Yubeta at, 520 977 1724,

We are now offering the Jernigan fund raffle tickets for $10.00 each. The prize is a full expense paid trip to our 2017 NFB national convention, which includes airfare for two, hotel accommodations, registration and banquet, and $1,000.00 cash spending money. You can purchase these raffle tickets from your chapter president, but do so soon, as they will not last.

Uber will No Longer Discriminate Against Blind Riders Using Guide Dogs

In an unprecedented settlement announced today, Uber has agreed to take affirmative steps to prevent discrimination against blind riders who use guide dogs in its transportation network across the United States.

The settlement resolves a lawsuit between the National Federation of the Blind of California and Uber Technologies, Inc., brought by the National Federation of the Blind, its California affiliate, and individuals who use guide dogs, to ensure that guide dog users have full and equal access to vehicles in the Uber network. This is the first nationwide class action settlement of its kind against an app based transportation network company.

While the growth of Ubers on demand transportation services has the potential to be a boon to blind people, drivers using the Uber platform have denied rides to blind people who use guide dogs. Any such discrimination violates federal and state laws that protect the rights of people with disabilities. Under the settlement, Uber will work to end this discrimination and blind individuals will be able to use Uber without the threat of discrimination.

Uber has agreed to take affirmative steps to tell drivers about their obligations to transport riders who are disabled and use service animals. Uber will require that existing and new drivers expressly confirm that they understand their legal obligations to transport riders with guide dogs or other service animals. Uber will also implement stricter enforcement policies. Uber will remove a driver from the platform upon a single complaint if Uber finds that the driver knowingly denied a person with a disability a ride because the person was traveling with a service animal. In addition, if Uber receives complaints that a driver denied a person a ride because of a service animal on more than one occasion, the driver will permanently be removed from the Uber platform regardless of the drivers intent.

Uber will also enhance its response system for complaints related to discrimination against guide dog users, and will track detailed data on all allegations of such discrimination. Additionally, the

National Federation of the Blind and its California affiliate will deploy testers over a multi year period to evaluate Ubers compliance with the settlement.

Mark A. Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said: Access to reliable and effective transportation is critical to the ability of blind people to live the lives we want. Uber and similar services can be a great asset to the blind when they are fully and equally available to us. The National Federation of the Blind is therefore pleased with Ubers commitment to effectively enforce a nondiscrimination policy with respect to blind people who use guide dogs. We look forward to working with Uber to ensure that all blind passengers can take advantage of the innovative transportation service it offers. Plaintiff Michael Hingson commented: This settlement is a great step forward for all blind people. Uber can be such a convenient transportation option. I am looking forward to being able to use the Uber services when Uber makes the changes needed to fix its discrimination problem and bring true access to guide dog users. Attorney Larry Paradis of Disability Rights Advocates said: This settlement sets important precedent and shows that companies cannot ignore the rights of people with disabilities just because they use a new technology or a novel business model. We are pleased we could come to an agreement with Uber and look forward to working with the company to ensure a more accessible system. Attorney Michael Bien of Rosen Bien Galvan& Grunfeld LLP observed: Technology enabled services such as Uber have tremendous potential to empower people with disabilities to live more independent lives. By ensuring reliable equal access for blind riders with service animals to Ubers services, this agreement harnesses that potential. Plaintiffs and defendant submitted the proposed settlement to the court on April 29, 2016, and seek approval from the court to settle as a nationwide class action. Copies of the settlement and other documents can be found at,

Blind Parents Needed

Are you a blind parent, grandparent, foster parent, or caregiver for children? Would you be interested in passing along your knowledge and giving your support to a parent, grandparent, or other caregiver who also happen to be blind? If so, the National Federation of the Blind needs you! If you are willing to serve as a mentor to an expecting parent,a current parent who is seeking support, a grandparent, or someone else who plans to provide extended care for children, please send an email to Melissa Riccobono at, parenting@nfb.org.

As you know, the National Federation of the Blind is the leading advocate for the rights of blind parents and the largest resource network for blind people who are considering being parents. We are continuing to build our resources in this area, and the next step is to formalize a program of mentoring. Mentors will follow up with individuals they are assigned to mentor, and will be asked for ideas about other resources needed to strengthen the network of education, support, and advocacy the National Federation of the Blind provides to blind parents, grandparents, and other caregivers.

If you are an individual who would be interested in being matched with a mentor, please send an email to,

This program is in its beginning stages, but we will do all we can to match you with a mentor as soon as possible.

Finally, please watch for future announcements regarding our Blind Parents Initiative. The National Federation of the Blind wants to gather data and develop truly useful resources for parents who happen to be blind, but in order to do this, we will need your help and feedback. We will have at least one survey we will need people to complete, and there may also be opportunities to participate in focus groups, share techniques in short videos, write reviews for particularly helpful or accessible children's products and toys, and much more. We look forward to hearing from you, and having you help us build a variety of tools to empower blind parents as they live the lives they want with their children.

What is Your Voting Experience?

By Lou Ann Blake

The US Election Assistance Commission (EAC) wants to hear from blind, low vision, and other voters with disabilities about their voting experience as part of their work to update voting system guidelines. As part of its effort to learn about the experience of voters with disabilities, the EAC held a public hearing on accessible voting on April 27, 2016, to hear from voters with disabilities. You can make your voting experience part of the official hearing transcript by emailing your voting story to listen@eac.gov by Wednesday, May 11, 2016. Help improve voting accessibility by telling your personal voting story to the EAC! Thank you!

Principles that the nFB Believes

by Dan Fry

We believe as an organization

1. It is respectable to be blind, that it is okay to be blind. That being blind is something that we need not feel troubled or embarrassed about, concerned about or emotionally exhausted over. That it is okay to be blind. We accept that as a general principal.

2. We believe that the real problem of blindness is not the absence of vision but is the social misconceptions and stereotypes that exist about our blindness. That it is not the physical absence of eyesight but it is what society has come to believe about our blindness. We reject the misconceptions that society has, and we accept that the physical absence of our sight is not the big problem.

3. We believe that with proper training and opportunity the average blind person can do the average job in the average place of work.

There are two elements in the previous proposition that are really important and given the following conditions blind people are able to compete on equal terms.

a. With proper training, that is to say that when we have acquired the alternative techniques of blindness.

b. When society gives us a break.

4. Blindness is simply one of many human characteristics. Like being tall or being short, being big or small, being bright or average. Blindness is simply one of many characteristics.

a. A lot of people think this is too much of a simplification and I reject that assertion.

i. I say that blindness is a characteristic

That does not mean that it is occasionally a complex characteristic but I accept that it is one of many characteristics.

5. Blindness can be reduced to the level of an inconvenience or physical nuisance. This goes back to principle 4.

a. Proper training

i. Blindness does not have to be much more than an inconvenience, but it is that. And I think it would be disingenuous to say that it is not inconvenient on occasion but it is not much more than that.

6. We believe in the effectiveness of alternative non visual techniques.

a. We recognize that we as blind people can’t achieve the same tasks that our sighted friends and colleagues achieve in the same way.

i. The ways that we use to manage and compete on terms of equality are non visual alternative techniques.

7. We do not believe these techniques are inherently inferior. We believe they are simply different.

a. They are alternative not inferior.

b. We believe this is very important

8. If we want equal rights we need to accept equal responsibility.

a. Often times we will talk about the benefits of blindness.

i. Some people will say, Why do you not go on and take that extra piece of that program or benefit that is given to you?

b. We believe in the organization that what we stand for is really important.

i. We need to stand in line when we get to a movie.

ii. We need to pay our fair share when we get on the bus.

iii. We need to participate in every aspect of the world in which we live.

c. And hopefully in exchange for accepting our responsibilities we will be treated as equals.

d. The return for waiting in line

i. When we go in for a job we will be treated with respect and dignity.

ii. That we’ll be given a chance to participate.

iii. We’ll be given an opportunity to excel on our own merit.

e. Waiting in those lines is occasionally inconvenient at the amusement park and it may be troublesome sometimes

i. The benefit will pay off when we go into a job opportunity or an interview and we get treated with some respect and dignity.

8. We encourage people to use the alternative techniques with comfort and openness.

a. We encourage the uses of

i. Cane

ii. Braille

iii. Things that symbolize blindness

b. Some people can be reluctant even though they know they are blind to use a cane

i.. They are reluctant because society teaches them that it is not okay to be blind.

c. We encourage the people that we know to use alternative techniques openly and with comfort.

i. That tells people that we are accepting of our blindness.

NFB Jernigan Institue Jobs Announcement

By Anil Lewis

Dear Federationists,

The National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute thrives because we are able to tap into the talent, expertise, commitment, and passion of our members to perform the work of the Federation. We are currently looking for two qualified individuals to join our NFB Jernigan Institute Access Technology team. If you are interested in being considered, please take a moment to review the information about these two positions:

Access Technology Specialist
Access Technology Support Staff

We would love to hear from you! If interested, please contact Anil Lewis at,

Paid Google Research Available

By Austin Hertell

Greetings from the Accessibility Engineering Team here at Google! As part of our efforts to make Google products more accessible, we conduct paid research sessions with users with all types of disabilities. We conduct studies both in person at our offices in San Francisco and New York, as well as remotely, via video or phone. Users who are selected for, and complete, our study sessions are generally compensated at $125 an hour, paid out in gift cards that are redeemable at a wide variety of retailers around the country.

If you, or anyone you know, would be interested in signing up for a study and testing our products, please sign up at,

Anyone who signs up will be notified of upcoming research studies that are a match for his or her unique user profile. The info above is shareable, so please feel free to forward this email along to anyone who you feel may be interested!

If you have any questions, please let me know directly. You may contact me at,

May: The Mission, the Movement, the Milestone

By Dacia Cole

The National Federation of theBlind Community Service Division presents:

May, The Mission, The Movement, The Milestone.

This is a Month long effort in which:

The mission is to give of our talents and skills to people and places in our communities. We want our sighted friends and neighbors to understand that the blind can and do give, and are not always the takers society might have us be.

The movement is all of us as the organized blind furthering our message through community service that blindness is not the characteristic that defines us or our future. It is also us coming together to support each other as we find the ways we will give back alongside our sighted peers.

The milestone is the results; the raising of expectations of the blind and the celebration of the difference that we will have made as a federation family by coming together to share our successes and work through our obstacles in order to ultimately strengthen the Federation and break down barriers to full participation in society.

You can take part in this project individually or with your chapter , by engaging in a community service project, such as volunteering for a nonprofit organization, local church or school, or helping those in need in your neighborhood. Participants will be able to share ideas and receive support during biweekly conference calls,

use the hashtag #NFB4MServe to tweet about their community service activities, and will also have the opportunity to write about their experiences on the National Community Service Divisions official blog,

The purpose of the blog is to communicate to society that the blind are active participants, contributors and collaborators in society. The Blog is an outlet through which we showcase, by way of community Service/volunteerism, what we believe in the Federation, that we as blind people can live the life we want and that, blindness is not what holds us bak from doing so. .

The first call will take place on Sunday, May 1, at 8:30 pm EST. The

Call in information for this, and all other calls is as follows:

712 432 0140, and the access code is 808277. The specific dates of each call are as follows:

Sunday, May 15: 8:30pm Eastern/5:30 pm Pacific.

Tuesday, May 31: 8:30 pm Eastern/5:30 pm Pacific.

If you are interested in being a part of this exciting project, you can:

Participate in the Online Dating Survey

By Cindy Bennett

My research team at the University of Washington is interested in peoples experiences online dating. Anyone who has online datedm (including websites and mobile applications in the past year is eligible to participate. However, we are very interested in recruiting participants with disabilities.

The survey should take 20 minutes or less and you can enter to win one of several $5 Amazon.com gift cards.

Survey data is confidential; you will be redirected to a second survey to enter the drawing; should you choose to enter the drawing, your contact information will be kept separately from survey responses.

Thank you for considering, and please pass this onto your friends with and without disabilities!

New Perspective on Literacy for Students

By Allison Hilliker

Reprinted from Bookshare Blog, Nov. 24, 2015

Allison HillikerFrom the Editor: Allison Hilliker provides Bookshare customer support for Benetech's global literacy program. She has a bachelor of science degree from Arizona State University, serves as secretary of the National Association to Promote the Use of Braille (NAPUB), and has been part of the Benetech team for more than eight years. As a legally blind person who has experienced reading both Braille and print, Allison has a special passion for the topic of reading for people who have low vision. Her daughter, Allyssa Kathleen Leveda Hilliker, was born on January 9, 2016.

Imagine a reading solution that would allow students with low vision to read for hours without eye fatigue. Imagine a solution where their ability to distinguish among letters would not be dependent upon print size, contrast, lighting, color, or font style; where skimming or rereading a paragraph or page wouldn't be cause for frustration or eyestrain; where students could easily discern the subtleties of spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and paragraph layout. Imagine a reading option in which individuals would not have to hold the book close to their faces or hunch over a tablet screen in order to read.

Well, there is a reading solution that enables students to accomplish all this and more. That solution is Braille.

BRAILLE? SERIOUSLY? WHY?

Readers who have varying degrees of usable sight have demonstrated that they can read on or above grade level simply by using Braille. For decades, Braille has enabled individuals with low vision to compete effectively with their sighted classmates in higher education and with colleagues in the workplace. Studies have shown that, while there is a high rate of unemployment among adults who are blind or visually impaired, the majority of those individuals who are employed use Braille. These facts demonstrate that there is a tremendous benefit to students who obtain Braille skills and use Braille consistently.

BUT WAIT! THESE STUDENTS HAVE PARTIAL SIGHT?

An individual need not be totally blind, or even close to it, in order to benefit from reading Braille. Many students with low vision keep pace with their peers in the primary grades because the print is large and/or minimal on any one page. As these students progress to the upper grades, however, the print decreases in size and increases in volume. These changes often cause frustration and lead students to avoid reading altogether or resort to using audio materials only. This situation creates a wide gap between students with visual impairments and their fully sighted peers.

In contrast, when a student with partial sight becomes proficient in Braille, he or she has the option to choose the reading medium (print or Braille) that works best in any given situation. As a result, Braille readers with low vision are equipped with multiple tools to help them achieve success.

IS BRAILLE DIFFICULT AND TIME CONSUMING TO LEARN?

No. It is often believed that Braille is difficult, tedious, and time consuming to learn, resulting in low comprehension levels. However, the experiences reported by Braille reading adults demonstrate the opposite. Many adult Braille readers read with a proficiency level equal to that of their sighted friends and colleagues. Students who learn Braille and are encouraged to practice it daily emerge with reading speeds and comprehension levels comparable to those of their sighted peers.

During preschool a sighted child typically begins to learn reading skills in print. When a preschool age child with a visual impairment learns reading in a similar manner to sighted classmates, but uses Braille instead of print, both learners typically develop similar reading abilities. It may or may not take a little longer for older students just beginning Braille to become proficient readers. However, with daily encouragement and practice, all students can develop Braille skills quickly and read as fluently as their sighted counterparts who use print.

Braille itself is not inherently slower or more difficult to read than print. However, when individuals learn a skill later in life, they may find it hard to master at the beginning. The important thing is for teachers to have a positive attitude about Braille so that students will be motivated to use it, even if they find it difficult at first.

WILL MY STUDENTS RESIST LEARNING BRAILLE?

If an instructor is excited about Braille, students are likely to be excited as well. Enthusiasm for Braille will reduce resistance to using it. Exposing students to role models who use Braille (especially individuals who are the same age as the learner) can be encouraging. Students learning Braille often feel isolated because they believe they are the only Braille readers in the area or because they do not know anyone else who reads Braille. Introducing students with low vision to other Braille users can normalize Braille and motivate them to learn to read just as well as or better than others in either Braille or print.

It is normal for children, and some adults for that matter, to resist working on tasks that are difficult at first. As with any other skill, Braille becomes much easier with daily practice. A positive attitude about Braille will go a long way toward encouraging students. If an instructor has the attitude that Braille is important, exciting, and fun to use, students will be more likely to believe the same thing.

WHAT ABOUT AUDIO READING? IS IT NOT SUFFICIENT?

While listening to a book may seem a viable alternative to reading, it has some limitations. Adults who primarily listened to books instead of actively reading for themselves when they were young often discover they struggle with academic writing. The audio format prevented them from obtaining proficiency in spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and other writing skills. Not every writing challenge can be resolved through spell check, and two words that sound the same can be spelled differently. Limited opportunities for interacting with text while young can create difficulties with writing in higher education or employment. Braille, when presented in a positive way and reinforced with practice, eliminates those deficiencies.

In addition, an audio format does not allow students to read from notes while giving a presentation or delivering a speech. This may not seem like an important task for younger students, but presentation skills are often required in higher education and in some employment settings. Holding a printed page close to one's face, or speaking to a group with an earbud in one ear, may not present a professional impression. On the contrary, a skilled Braille reader skimming Braille notes while facing and engaging the audience can be extremely effective. In this way Braille can enable students to read aloud with confidence and poise.

Braille may also be preferable to audio options for labeling important items such as medication bottles, school folders, etc. Braille can be useful for making board games and card games accessible; for reading aloud to younger children; or for keeping lists of groceries, passwords, guests, and so on.

DOES LEARNING BRAILLE MEAN THAT STUDENTS CAN NO LONGER USE PRINT?

Absolutely not! Students with low vision are not required to use Braille exclusively. While individuals will become more proficient readers by using Braille daily, they may still read print when and if it meets their requirements in terms of print size, color contrast, and font style. Having proficient Braille skills and the ability to read print presents students with two viable options. Many successful students with low vision are competent readers in both Braille and print (either large print or via magnification devices) and are skilled in deciding which reading medium is best in a given situation. This expertise develops over time with practice and confidence. Experienced Braille readers often discover that Braille is the most effective option the majority of the time, while other formats may be options when Braille is unavailable. In addition, students' preferences for Braille over print are likely to increase as their reading becomes faster and more fluent. The optimal scenario for a student with low vision who is proficient in Braille is having several media options from which to choose.

WILL STUDENTS FEEL SELFCONSCIOUS ABOUT READING BRAILLE?

There is no shame in anyone with partial sight choosing to read Braille in addition to or instead of other formats. Braille has been a respectable reading method for over one hundred years. Many young students are amazed to learn that Braille was invented by a French boy, Louis Braille, at age fifteen. As is true with many subjects, an instructors positive attitude toward Braille helps students develop a positive attitude, too.

Students with low vision may already feel selfconscious if they have to read enlarged text on oversized pages; hold papers close to their faces; hunch over a table to read textbooks, worksheets, or tablets; or sit very close to a computer screen. Students who perfect Braille reading skills may find that they are more like their sighted classmates because they are comfortable reading in a variety of settings.

Braille enables a student to sit up proudly while reading with confidence. Any student who reads well is more likely to be comfortable reading in groups, regardless of medium choice. Moreover, Braille readers can read regardless of lighting quality or eye fatigue. The versatility of Braille may motivate a student to read more often. In addition, introducing students to Braille as young as possible can increase acceptance and lead to a smoother learning process.

Braille readers who can read fluidly, quickly, and without stress are more likely to be confident and have higher cognitive levels than poor readers who struggle to use regular print like their peers.

HOW CAN PARENTS AND EDUCATORS GET ONBOARD?

The National Reading Media Assessment (NRMA) is a free assessment tool available to instructors that uses current research to determine whether a student with a visual impairment would benefit from learning Braille or print as his/her primary medium. The results of this assessment may be shared with other members of a students education team, such as parents, administrators, and classroom teachers. Seeing a demonstrated need for Braille instruction may help others understand the importance of Braille. With a positive approach toward Braille and the belief that Braille will help students be successful in education and employment, instructors may find that others will be more open to Braille as an option.

Feel free to explain to others that Braille does not mean the student with low vision will no longer use any remaining vision. Instead, Braille enhances one's education by adding an additional literacy tool to use when vision may not be reliable. Through reading Braille, a student's confidence grows because reading efficiently in any situation has occurred.

DOES BOOKSHARE HAVE BOOKS IN BRAILLE?

Yes! All of Bookshares English language books are available in Braille Ready Format (BRF). They can be read on a Braille device such as the BrailleSense or BrailleNote, or they can be printed out in hard copy. Bookshare recently tested Unified English Braille (UEB), which was officially released on its site early in 2016. This feature will allow access to hundreds of thousands of books in the new code. It also will enable instructors to demonstrate the new UEB standard through books that will engage readers with diverse interests.

Bookshare titles can be downloaded by logging onto the Bookshare site at, www.bookshare.org

searching for a title, and selecting BRF from the format dropdown box. Note that some DAISY readers can read the DAISY text format using an electronic Braille display. Such displays will show text in Braille, even if it has not been directly translated into Braille by other means.

Any student in the US who has a print disability such as visual impairment or dyslexia is eligible for a free subscription to Bookshare. With 385,000 titles in January 2016, Bookshare has the largest collection of accessible books in the world, and it is growing every day. We invite you to sign up and try one of our Braille books today!

Health and Wellness Opportunities at SAAVI

By Mike Armstrong

My name is Mike Armstrong and I am the Health and Wellness Coordinator for the Southern Arizona association for the Visually Impaired (SAAVI). As a totally blind Certified Personal Trainer I understand how serious the need is to improve the physical fitness of our VI/blind community. This is why I am excited about a fitness/health and wellness program we are continuing to grow. We are expanding our services in recreation and personal fitness training to the visually impaired of all ages with an emphasis on the senior community in the greater Phoenix area. This will enable financially challenged visually impaired to receive free personal and group fitness training. Through the use of our proven Health and Wellness model we assess the participant’s fitness level and build a custom program to fit their needs regardless of age or fitness level.

Children that are blind or visually impaired are often left out of physical activities. This is generally because the PE teacher does not have the time to work with them one on one. This can lead to a lack of physical fitness, depression, anxiety and obesity throughout their lives into adulthood.

In regards to our adult and senior population the loss of eyesight is extremely difficult to adapt to. Movement in general is difficult and the lack of confidence in their environment often leads to a less active lifestyle. A lack of exercise often results in several serious medical issues even death.

Our personal fitness trainers use the guidelines and regiments from the National Academy of Sports Medicine’s Optimal Performance Training program for weight, cardio, flexibility, and endurance training. We utilize classes in Karate, Jujitsu, Tai Chi Zoomba, and Yoga to improve strength, balance, and endurance. In addition we run outings exposing the participants to recreational activities like hiking, swimming, rock climbing, Stand Up Paddle Boarding, kayaking, and tandem cycling. We also run workshops for both adult and youth on adapted sports like Goalball, Beep Baseball, Blind Golf, and water sports. Now here is the best part of all, it is totally free!.

If you are interested in our program, or know somebody that would benefit from our services, please contact Me at, marmstrong@saavi.us. If you would like to contact me via phone, you can do so at, 602 795 0195, extension 102.

How One Blind Marathon Runner is Using Technology to Run Solo

Of the 27,487 runners who traversed the city of Boston this year for the marathon, 39 were visually impaired.

Running a marathon blind can be terrifying: Hordes of runners are bolting toward you, crowds scream from the sidelines, and you have no idea if you are about to crash into someone ahead of you. But for 31 year old Simon Wheatcroft, a blind Englishman who completed the marathon on Monday, there is nothing more exhilarating.

Quote, I want to take it all in, quote, he tells Fast Company. Quote, I want to enjoy the sounds of the other runners and the people cheering. Quote.

Quote, The idea of running solo has always been in the back of my mind, quote, he says. Quote, I have been dreaming about it for four years. It took me some time to become mentally comfortable with the concept. Quote. He believes that technology is the key to making this happen. He points out that there are already many different tools on the market, like sophisticated GPS navigation and motion sensors, that could help visually impaired runners. It is just a matter of putting them together into a customized tool.

Over the last month, Wheatcroft has been collaborating with IBM to develop an iPhone app allowing him to navigate a marathon course without help. He tested it out for the first time at Mondays marathon. Little signals alerted him whenever he veered too far to the right or left, so he did not worry about going off course. Quote, I could enjoy the race. I could listen to the crowd, quote, Wheatcroft says. Quote, The app only alerted me if I went wrong. The rest of the time, it was completely silent. Quote.

At the age of 13, Wheatcroft discovered he had a degenerative eye disease and by 17, he had lost his vision completely.

Before he tried running, he tried climbing. He had the romantic notion of asking his girlfriend to marry him from the top of a mountain in California. But as he began the journey, he realized the ascent would be far more difficult than he had anticipated. There were too many dangerous cliffs and crevices to circumvent; too many ways to get hurt. In the end, he was forced to propose halfway up the mountain, and although she said yes, he still felt defeated.

Quote, It was just too hard, quote, Wheatcroft says. Quote, But then I had to live with the fact that I had to quit climbing. It plagued me. Quote.

When the couple returned to England, Wheatcroft decided he would never again abandon a challenge because of his blindness. Running seemed insurmountably difficult to him at the time. But while many blind people avoid running altogether because it is just too complicated, Wheatcroft was determined not only to become a runner, but to run on his own, without having to depend on a guide.

Quote, When I started, I ran into lampposts and traffic lights and trees, quote, he recalls. When you are charging forward at a high velocity, anything you crash into can cause pain. Cars may not see you in time to stop. Dog walkers and parents with strollers are unable to get out of the way quickly enough. Early on, he remembers feeling an occasional rush of horror that something might happen to him.

Quote, The biggest challenge is mental: You cannot be fearful, quote, Wheatcroft says. Quote, You have to just absolutely convince yourself that this is possible. Quote.

Wheatcroft initially kept to safe spaces, like the distance between goal posts on a football pitch, but he eventually got bored of this. When he ran on the street, he discovered that people do not generally get out of the way, expecting runners to dodge them. So contrary to widely accepted notions of safe running, he decided to run on the side of the freeway, where there is a wide berth away from the cars and no human traffic.

Over the last six years, Wheatcroft has evolved into a serious long distance runner. In 2014, he ran from Boston to New York, then completed the New York Marathon, covering a total of 240 miles in nine days. On May 1, he will begin a seven day run in the Namibian desert for a 160 mile ultra marathon.

There are currently no apps specifically designed for the blind running community. When Wheatcroft began running in 2010, he relied on apps designed for sighted runners. He started using Runkeeper several years ago, which allows him to map out a route, track his speed, and receive audio signals that inform him when he needs to turn left or right. When Google Glass came out, he immediately saw its potential for blind runners. But none of these technologies are perfectly suited to his needs.

Wheatcroft is determined to create his own app. While training for the Boston Marathon, Wheatcroft began searching for a technology partner to help him on his quest. He decided to reach out to IBM, knowing that the Runkeeper app runs on the IBM Cloud. IBM invited him to London to visit the Bluemix Garage, its developer space, where he pitched the engineers there an idea for an app for visually impaired runners. IBM quickly came on board, agreeing to create an app for him pro bono.

As Wheatcroft describes his ideal app, he points out that he does not want the navigation to be too noisy. The GPS systems he has used so far have had elaborate directions communicated in complete sentences; he would prefer a series of little sounds.

Quote, We thought subtle beeps were far more immediate than hearing, left and right, quote, he says. Quote, I do not want to be taken out of the social experience of the race. Quote.

Wheatcroft also says that the GPS systems built into most consumer devices are only accurate to 10 or 20 meters. Quote, When you are running on an edge of a cliff, a difference of 10 meters is an issue, quote, he points out. IBM has outfitted this new app with a more advanced external GPS receiver that gives directions that are accurate to five meters.

Wheatcroft piloted a version of the app at the Boston Marathon on Monday. It was a good testing ground because the course is fairly simple with only two turns. The app allowed him to focus on the race and gave him confidence that he was on the right path. To gather even more feedback about the app, he will bring it with him to Namibia at the end of the month for a seven day run in the desert, which will be rather more treacherous and require the device to have an extended battery life.

Quote, This is very much an iterative process, quote, Wheatcroft explains, describing how he has tweaked the various audio feedback mechanisms to make them clearer. Quote, We wanted to create a minimum viable product in a week and then continue making changes as I take it on the road with me. We test one thing at a time. Quote.

While the app Wheatcroft has built with IBM is an improvement on the generic running apps on the market, he believes there is a lot more it should be able to do. He wants the app to be able to explain what objects are directly in front of him and provide dynamic directions that respond to the immediate environment. This would require the app to be able to scan his surroundings and then have an artificial intelligence system, such as Watson, that would determine the best course. He would also like to create a belt that will vibrate so that he will not need to depend on the beeps from the phone. He is currently working with developers at IBM to find ways of achieving these goals.

He is also very keen on Google's Project Tango, a technology that will give mobile devices spatial vision using sensors, motion tracking, depth perception, and image processing. Google is currently selling developer kits so that it can be tailored to a range of purposes, like helping customers navigate through a store. But Wheatcroft believes that it could be game changing for blind runners.

Ultimately, he is hoping to create an app that will be widely and inexpensively available to the entire blind community. While IBM holds the intellectual property surrounding this technology, a company spokesperson says it has no plans to monetize the app because it is such a specialized use case. quote, It is more of an exercise in exploring the limits of human computer interaction, quote, the spokesperson explains.

Meanwhile, Wheatcroft is very excited about the possibility of putting out an app that will work on any iPhone.

Quote, I do not particularly like using any device that is specifically made for the visually impaired because it is usually super expensive and super clunky, quote, he says. While Wheatcroft is testing the technology on his runs, a user does not have to be a runner to see a benefit from this app.

Quote, We are creating a core technology that allows you to navigate using beeps and haptic, which can then be applied so broadly to lots of situations, quote, Wheatcroft says. That means whether you are running marathons in Namibia or just finding your way around a store, Wheatcrofts app could vastly improve life for blind people everywhere.

The Bookshelf, 2 Selections

Do you love to curl up with a good book? Been meaning to read that best seller? Here are two book selections that you may wish to read! If you have a book that you absolutely loved and want to share your thoughts about it with us, please send in your write up to:

Reading time: 6 hours, 27 minutes.
Read by Charlie Ryle.
Biography
Young Adult
Autobiographical account of a childhood spent with grandparents in a log cabin in the Tennessee mountains where the author learned the simple Cherokee ethic of life. For high school and adult readers. Some strong language.
Download The education of Little Tree

Book #2, Chiefs

DB17674

Written by Stuart Woods

Reading time: 13 hours, 35 minutes.
Read by Joel Crothers.
Mystery and Detective Stories
During the bitter winter of 1920, somebody kills an unidentified teenage boy in a small Georgia town. The investigation falls to a brand new police chief, formerly a cotton farmer. His hunt for the killer begins a nightmare that lasts for five decades, involving politicians, two other police chiefs, and the very life of the town. Some strong language.
Download Chiefs

Keeping Your Home Safe During the Summer

By Robert D. Sollars

Summertime is just around the corner for most of us. In Arizona, at least in the Valley of the Sun, it seems it has given us a hint already of what is yet to come.

But here are some tips that may keep you a bit cooler without worrying about crime against you or a loved one.

Ensure that your doors, windows, screens, & etc. are in a position to resist intrusion. It is easy to have the ventilation you crave at night, but it is also just as imperative that you take pains to stay safe.

Keep a broom handle in the tracks of your sliding glass doors or windows. Cut it to the size you want for good air flow, but not wide enough to allow someone to slip in the opening. This will prevent them from entering without making a racket. For sliding windows, the answer is a dowel rod easily purchased from any hardware or craft store. You just have to make sure it is thick enough to withstand the pressure of someone trying to force it open. And the same applies with the doors and leaving them open.

If you have an air conditioner or box fan in the window you can still be relatively safe with it in the window all night. If you are allowed by your property manager, nail the AC box or fan to the ledge of the window. This will allow it to remain in the window but not allow intruders in. If you have the good old fashioned windows, then place a dowel rod in the place above the 2nd window after it sits on the fan or AC box.

The last tip I will share with you here is simple. But, even though it is simple, people ignore the fact that they can remain almost completely safe by… locking the doors. Yes locking the doors. It is such a simple thing to do and yet people do not lock their doors at night. Just listen to the news in the summertime and you will hear innumerable accounts of people being robbed, attacked, and worse, because they did not lock their doors & windows.

The main key for keeping you and your family safe from intruders in the summertime and still have the freedom you wish, is to put some dowel rods in the sliding doors & windows, or if they are double hung in the spot above the window. And then keep your other doors & windows locked at all times. And to be honest, it does not matter how safe your neighborhood may be, a thief is always looking for the easiest pickings. Make them move on to another place.

Flick, Swipe, and Tap, Facebook Accessibility for Pictures

A new Facebook tool will help users who are blind or have visual impairments, quote see, quote, photos by describing what is in them. With automatic alternative text, people using screen readers on iOS devices will hear a list of items that a photo on Facebook may contain such as three people, smiling, outdoors. Without the new automated photo captioning tool, screen reader users skimming their News Feed would only be told that a friend posted a photo. Screen reader software turns Web pages and documents into synthesized speech for people who are blind or have severe visual impairments. More than two billion photos are shared every day on Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and Whats App. The flood of imagery means people who are blind or have visual impairments are often unable to decipher what is in the photos, leaving them out of the conversation. In its first iteration, Facebooks new automated photo captioning tool can identify rudimentary things: cars and boats, basketball and baseball, ice cream and sushi, beards and eyeglasses. In time, Facebook aims to include a much fuller description of what is in a photo including the identity of the people in it. It also plans to expand the tool to more devices and languages as well as to all of Facebooks family of apps, but, for now, the tool is only being tested on iOS screen readers set to English. Facebooks new tool describes what is in a photo. Facebook) Facebook and other tech giants are tackling a major challenge: The World Wide Web is anything but for people with visual impairments and other disabilities, cutting them off from the basics of everyday life such as applying for college or jobs, making major purchases or getting health information. Facebook is taking steps to reengineer its website and mobile apps to make them more accessible. It is also brainstorming a new generation of futuristic products that harness the power of artificial intelligence to improve the experience of Facebook for people with disabilities. Automatic alternative text generates a description of a photo using advances in object recognition technology. The tool was requested by users with visual impairments frustrated that they were excluded from the conversation surrounding photos in their News Feed. Even small bits of information can be helpful when a friend uploads a photo without a caption or the caption does not describe what is in the photo. A person with a visual impairment really feels excluded when they cannot see the picture. There was a group of persons with visual impairments who tested the new photo captioning tool for Facebook. FaceBook is still not perfect, but within the past year or so Facebook has made some decent strides in fixing some of the access issues. Screen readers still cannot read text that appears in such things as screenshots, inspirational quotes or funny memes that pop up all the time in News Feeds.

New Website for Veterans

The U.S. Department of Labors Veterans Employment and Training Service (VETS) has unveiled a new website,

Veterans.gov,

that provides a single employment services resource for veterans, including disabled veterans. The site brings together job resources such as the American Job Centers, self employment information, tools for employers and more. In a blog introducing the site, Mike Michaud, assistant secretary of labor for veterans employment and training, noted quote, I encourage everyone to try it out today, and spread the word about all the resources Veterans.gov has to offer. End quote.

More Items Donated to the NFB of Arizona Auction

By Debi Chatfield

Do people tell you that you make the best fudge and chocolate chip cookies in town? Do you have an old iPhone lying around that you no longer use, because you have upgraded to the latest and greatest? No longer using that Victor Stream as often as you used to do? Or, maybe your speciality is creating a beautiful afghan, or hand crafting a vase out of wood?

Looking for a place to donate these items? Well, we’ve got just the place for you! Donate them to our 2016 NFBA Fall Auction coming up in Tucson, from September 9 to 11.

Help us now to collect items for donation. All proceeds go to our state affiliate for continuation of our important programs, education, and sharing of our philosophy.

Important details:

· Items must be $20 or more in value. Items below $20 should be donated to the Door Prize committee.

· Items should be brought to the convention and given to the auction committee, preferably labelled.

· Please email a description of your item, such as, the brand name, condition of the item, age of the item and any pertinent information you feel the winner of the item would need to know, and send it to:

It is due to the generosity of you, the members of the NFB of Arizona, that we are able to continue providing so many resource and outreach opportunities to those who need to know what we have to share, the truth about blindness! So, thank you for your donation, and lets get busy and make this auction the best we have ever had!

Here are 2 more items up for bid at this year’s convention! Hurry, and send us your descriptions as soon as possible!

Sony Home Theatre System

Donated by Patrick Hamblin

3 years old, but gently used.

Cost $350. Has 4 speakers and can hook up to a TV, Cable Box, or DVD player. Awesome Sound!

Minimum bid is $125.

Levi Strause Brown Jacket

Donated by Patrick Hamblin

Size Medium. Brand new. Jacket has one inside pocket on left side and two small pockets on outside, upper chest.It also has a hood, and is very warm. A cross between a heavy jacket and a Windbreaker.

Minimum bid is $50.

Healthy Choice, Healthy Living Gratitude

By Lawrence MacLellan

Hello everybody, if you have been reading any of my past articles then you will know that I have focused a lot on having a healthy attitude , and appreciating what we do have. We often have it better then we realize but unfortunately we tend to look at what is wrong in our lives.

Keeping a gratitude journal is a great idea and there are studies that show that it really works. You could use a recording device like your Victor Stream or any other recorder that you may have. Your iPad or iPhone would work as well.

Something that I have said many times in my past articles is that it is up to you. Your effort is what will make the difference. You are the deciding factor. Gratitude and appreciation can not only make you a healthy person but it can attract like minded people into your life.

The following are some references to studies that show that gratitude can make a big difference in your life and all you need to do is to try it and give it a chance to work.

The ultimate goal, getter zig ziglar once said quote, your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude. Quote. Take away; positive thoughts are more than just words floating around in your head. Studies are now showing that gratitude actually has the power to transform your health, your level of happiness and your life. What could you achieve simply by shifting your attitude into gratitude mode? Lets find out!

1. Keeps your ticker running smoothly. When UC,San Diego professor Paul Mills recently conducted a pair of studies on the effects of gratitude on cardiovascular health, he not only found lower levels of plaque build up and inflammation among those who were grateful, he also discovered a decrease in risk for heart disease in those patients who spent just two months gratitude journaling. His theory; that gratitude reduces stress, a huge contributing factor to heart disease.

2. Helps you snooze soundly. It is an indisputable fact: people with higher levels of gratitude have a higher quality of sleep. They fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. In one Canadian study, researchers actually found that a group of college student insomniacs who were required to keep a daily gratitude journal for a week enjoyed improved sleep, as well as fewer physical problems and less worrying. So how does it work? Another study looked at peoples brain activity as they felt feelings of gratitude. The result: gratitude increased activity in the region of the brain that creates dopamine, and since dopamine helps regulate sleep and wakefulness, this means you are pretty much guaranteed to get some zees.

3. Inspires you to get your sweat on. Turns out, there is a bigger workout motivator than that monthly Victoria’s Secret catalogue. you guessed it: gratitude! aside from the extra burst of energy it incites, one 11-week study found that those who were instructed to keep a weekly gratitude journal put in 40 more minutes per week working out than the non journalers. And more time in the gym, on the jogging trail, in the swimming pool, or on the yoga mat, which means more effective weight loss.

4. Makes your honey seem a little sweeter. According to researchers, expressing gratitude to your significant other for even the tiniest of favors immeasurably boosts relationship satisfaction. In one study, 67 couples journaled their gratitude nightly for two weeks, recording their partners thoughtful actions and their own reactions. Turned out, those with grateful partners felt more connected with their partner and more satisfied overall with the relationship.

5. Knocks out depression. Gratitude is pretty much a one two punch for a host of toxic emotions. Icky feelings like envy, resentment, regret and irritation, and multiple studies confirm that gratitude effectively increases happiness and reduces depression. But how? Scientists think it is because gratitude shifts our thinking from negative to positive by ushering in a surge of warm + fuzzy like dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin.

6. Boosts immunity. Where gratitude exists, optimism follows. A characteristic that research has shown boosts the immune system. One study comparing the immune systems of healthy, but stressed first year law students found that those characterized as optimistic maintained higher numbers of immune system protecting blood cells than their more pessimistic classmates. Feel a cold coming on? Just turn that frown upside down!

7. Ups your goal getter game. Wanna hear something cool about goals? Maintaining an attitude of gratitude makes you more likely to achieve them! In one study, participants were divided into three groups and assigned to keep a daily journal. The first group kept a log of things they were grateful for, while the other two groups were asked to record their daily annoyances or general daily observations. Guess which group showed a significant increase in determination, attention and enthusiasm. You got it: the gratitude journalers! Another study of 1,035 high school students found that the grateful subjects had more friends and higher GPAys.

It is up to you folks. If you try it you may be a happier, healthier and more successful person. If you do not then you will stay right where you are. If you are happy where you are then great; but if you would like a better life than what you have, please try it. What do you have to lose?

How Does a Blind person Drive With Their Ears?

Almost every game in the app store is a video game. You watch the screen and press buttons. Sometimes, you win and sometimes, you lose.

Our first game, Blindfold Racer, is an audio game you play by listening to the road, and you hold your iPhone like a steering wheel while listening to music. Turn your phone to the right, and you go right. Rotate to the left, and you go left. When you get too close to the left side, the music in your left ear gets louder. Likewise, for the right side of the road. When the music is in the center of your head, your are in the middle of the road.

Blindfold Racer is a multi level game. Each time you complete a level, (track), you move to the next, slightly harder level. Blind people complete the first five levels fairly quickly, and like to play the game for hours. Sighted people have a much harder time. Most need to close their eyes while playing. As one teen girl said to me while playing at level 12, quote, I cannot wait to play my sighted friends. I will so beat them! Quote.

Stirring constantly over medium heat,boil mixture, (or until mixture gets thicker, approximately 1 to 1 ½ minute). Remove from heat and add 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add 1 cup coconut, or chopped nuts if desired. Stir well until mixture begins to thicken. Then pour over warm cake and spread with the back of wooden spoon that you used when cooking and stirring icing ixture. Let stand until cake is completely cool and iceing is dry to the touch. Cover and store until serving, if you can keep it around that long!

Debbies List

No, this is not Craigs List, but it is the next best thing! If you have something to sell, or announce, send us your ad, and we will post it, as long as there is space available in the newsletter. Send your ads to:

Would you like to stay safe at home, school, work, online, and everywhere in your daily life? I may be able to help you. I can come to your location and give a presentation on multiple areas of security and safety concerns.

with Blindness Security Workshop in the subject line. My fee is variable depending on travel distance. I look forward to assisting all of you with your security needs. Have A Safe Day!

With Spring on its way, now is a good time to be thinking about the upcoming cycling season! There is an email list, specifically focused on empowering the blind into the arena of bicycling. We are a friendly community, dedicated to helping you to reach the next level, in your fitness goals.

Even if you do not own a tandem, there may be local opportunities that we can uncover, together. So, click on the below link and come join us. Introduce yourself and enjoy the ride! Federationists greatly encouraged!

Are you blind and a lover of craft making? Would you like to share your love
of crafting with other like-minded people? Would you be interested in
learning a new craft taught by and geared specifically for blind folks? If
the answer to any of these questions is yes, then visit the NFB Crafters
Division website athttp://www.krafterskorner.org
We offer a free email list for discussion of all crafts with friendly folks
ready to help in any way.
We also offer classes in both phone conference call as well as email
formats, which are only available to members of our division. The cost for
membership is $20 per year allowing a member to take as many classes as they
wish. Having offered 72 classes in 2014 in a wide variety of crafts, you are
certain to find classes to peak your interest.
Check out our membership page, join during our early bird special in March,
and get four months free.
For questions, please contact our president Joyce Kane at,

a Useful, Stylish New Idea!
When you go out for a walk, or running to class, are you looking for a way to easily carry your water bottle and cellphone, in a way that would be both stylish and practical? Are you looking for something that can hold many items, yet is not heavy on its own? Well look no further than the Invisibag! This is a stretchable belt like strap that clips easily around your waist. It contains two zipperred pockets, one for a conventional water bottle, and one that is the perfect size for your smartphone. With the water bottle pocket you will be able to carry around a water bottle, without the need to carry a purse or backpack, as it simply hangs from your belt. The cellphone pocket allows you to carry your cellphone in a safe, secure environment. You can feel your cellphone vibrating, yet it is difficult to steal as one must open the zipperred pocket to get the cellphone out. And when you're done using it for the day, just take all your items out and let it sit around your waist. it is so light you will not even notice.
As these are imported products, you will not find them anywhere on the U.S. market. I personally handle all the importing and costs myself. I'm asking only $20 per each one.
Please send me an email at,

Would you like to meet other blind or visually impaired individuals from across the country and around the world? Do you like challenging interactive games, old time radio, learning about adapted cooking techniques, a monthly book club, product presentations, chess instruction, computer tech help, Bible Study, a blindness support group, a weekly talent show, iPhone discussions, and much more? Join our free chat community at: